Here is a list of Music Blogs ordered by Last Viewed, posted by members. A Blog is a journal you may enter about your life, thoughts, interesting experiences, or lessons you've learned. Post an opinion, impart words of wisdom, or talk about something interesting in your day. Update your blog on a regular basis, or just whenever you have something to say. Creating a blog is a good way to share something of yourself with others. Reading blogs is a good way to learn more about others. Click here to post a blog.
The voice of a Black Woman...
Somewhere in the early 1960's my dad bought a reel-to-reel tape recorder. My (older) brother borrowed 45rpm records from friends and made a 'party mix' of songs. Depending on the speed, that could run non-stop for an hour or more.
What did he record? A little of this and a little of that. Some surfing music, rock & roll, Rhythm & blues and soul music. To us, music was music... well, with the exception of Country Music. I could listen to Roy Clark, but it tapered off sharply after that.
There were a dozen guitar players in my neighborhood, a few drummers, one guy playing bass guitar, one guy playing saxophone and one guy playing accordion.
I teamed up with a duo guitarist & drummer who played on Miami Beach hotels poolside. Americans called it 'pass the hat' and the British called it busking. Either way, the music was free and we accepted donations.
To get the gig with these guys, I had to play keyboards, so my parents bought a small portable organ by the Italian company Farfisa. I quickly memorized a bunch of songs and we were playing a few hotels every morning in the summer. Too young to drive, we always had a parent schlep us and our gear to the gigs as well as acting manager/agent to see we had plenty of bookings with the entertainment directors of the hotels.
We played music the tourists wanted to hear and that often got us special events when they had the pool open at night for a BBQ or party. We were available for birthday parties, school dances, teen hop at the bowling alley and the best paying gigs... fraternity parties at the local college!
Dance music was most of our repertoire, but college kids loved Soul Music and so it was. We also did songs by The Young Rascals and on request... The Supremes song You Keep Me Hanging On was on our list.
This brings up the part of Black female singers. A generation later, I watched a documentary about Whitney Houston where she mentioned her musical beginning was singing Gospel. Look around and nearly EVERY Black female singer got their start doing gospel. Can you name 20? I probably could.
My musical taste runs fickle and I have my favorites regardless of their success. Maybe it was the songs they were singing as many sounded like fingernails across a chalkboard.
White girls were everywhere but singers like Karen Carpenter bored me to tears. Remember Leslie Gore and I'll Cry if I want to ... Waaah. I cried because that song was played 32 million times.
I wasn't 100% on Black female singers either. What I disliked most were the wailers... Great voice, but they were over-the-top and I'd turn the volume down. Aretha, Patti LaBelle, Tina make it to that list.
Patti's duet with Michael McDonald (On My Own) was 'almost' a masterpiece, until she starts that wailin' shit (on live performances) and I have to turn it down. I think you get my point.
This week, I did hear a great song by a great singer Gladys Night and I think it's perfect for my blog... The voice of a Black Woman.
Dickey Betts RIP...
Betts had some health issues dating back to a stroke in 2018 and died from cancer and COPD at his home today.
Ramblin' Man - The Allman Brothers Band
Maybe,..
Proud to be from the best city in the world,.............
A Blog is a journal you may enter about your life, your thoughts, interesting experiences, or lessons you have learned. It's your own page on Connecting Singles that you can update on a regular basis, or just whenever you have something to say. You can write about an opinion, impart words of wisdom, or talk about something interesting in your day. Creating a blog is a good way to share something of yourself with Connecting Singles members. Reading blogs is a good way to learn more about members you have met here. Please be sure to read the blog rules before posting.
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